'Definition of Indian giving'

Photo: Contributed - okanaganrailtrail.ca

Chief Byron Louis says he doesn't want to kill the idea of a multi-use trail on the old Okanagan rail corridor – but historical wrongs must be corrected.

In a statement released Friday, Louis said the band sought to postpone the sale ... "not to prevent the creation of a multi-use corridor. We fully recognize the benefits of being closer to nature and experiencing all her beauty; our people have lived in and around this valley for thousands of years for a reason."

The band council attended B.C. Supreme Court hearings in Vancouver this week, seeking an injunction to postpone sale of the corridor by CN to local municipalities. 

"We sought an injunction to the sale to put on record that the Okanagan Indian Band was allocated a reserve in 1877 by the Joint Indian Reserve Commission."

He called it an injustice when, 15 years later, the Commonage Reserve IR #9 was taken back for creation of the railroad. 

It is, he wrote, "and pardon the expression, the very definition of Indian giving." 

A court decision on the injunction is expected Monday.

"Regardless of the decision of Justice Myers ... the OKIB will continue to assert our title and rights to all of our territory," said Louis.

"In 1910 the chiefs of the Okanagan, Shuswap and Thompson joined together and presented a letter to Sir Wilfred Laurier demanding the settlement of the land question. In July of this year, the chiefs of the Interior Alliance are meeting again to discuss matters of mutual importance – and reconciliation will be high on our agenda."

Louis said historical wrongs and long-held beliefs about First Nations people need to be corrected.

"We can’t help but agree with Justice Murray Sinclair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which has studied the effects of the Indian Residential Schools on Canadians, when he said on May 24:

'…at the same time that aboriginal people were being demeaned in the schools and their culture and language were being taken away from them and they were being told that they were inferior…and that they were unworthy of being respected — that very same message was being given to the non-aboriginal children in the public schools as well.'”

We see the end result of that equation almost every day, said Louis.

The chief said he's hoping Okanagan residents can take a page from Vancouver when it comes to making things right.

"Seeking reconciliation with First Nations people is the only way forward without having past injustices continuing to resurface," said Louis. "Reconciliation means taking the time to listen, hear, acknowledge that you understand what has been told to you and be willing to do more about it than say 'it happened a long time ago.'"